Separable frame for handbags or the like



March 26, 1940. c. D. BUCKLEY 2,194,846

SEPARABLE FRAME FOR HANDBAGS OR THE LIKE Filed June 11, 1938 L j L Q mllllngb Invenifor: Ciyde D. Ema

Patented Mar. 26, 1940 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE amazes] Application June 11, 1938, Serial-No. 213,249

2. Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bag frame structures.

One of the objects of my invention'is to provide a bag frame structure comprising a purse 6 frame and an outer frame with the hinging devices. at opposite ends of the frames of simple and inexpensive form and constru'ctedin a way to enable the purse frame to be removably secured to the outer frame'with but a minimum, if any, use of the natural resiliency of either frame.

In the drawing, which represents a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a handbag frame structure including an outer frame having an inner purse frame removably secured thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionshowing the hinging device at the left-hand end of the frame structure looking at Fig. l ofthe 20 drawing;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionshowing the hinging device through the right-hand end of the frame structure looking at Fig. l of the drawing;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view ofthe hinge device at the right-hand end of the purse frame looking-at Fig. 1 of the drawing and showing a spring means assembled therewith; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the hinge assembly shown in Fig. 4 looking from the left.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 showsa-handbag frame structure including an outer frame I and an inner purse frame 2 removably secured to the outer frame 4 through my improved hing- 35 ing device. The outer frame icomprises a pair of frame membershaving a set of leg portions 3 and 4 at opposite ends ofthe frame) The purse frame 2 comprises a pair of frame members having a set of channel-shaped legportions 5 and6 40 at opposite ends of the frame. Relatively fiat ear-shaped portions I; and l are provided at the outermost ends of the legs of each of the sets 5 and 6 hinged together by a hollow rivet 8, as most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each of the channel-shaped frame members of the frame 2 has a back wall Q and a pair of spaced side walls Ill-46 (Fig. 5) which extend ,angularly from the base 9 in a direction opposite the adjacent set of legs 3 and 4 of the outer frame I.

Referring in detail to my improved hinging construction, I have chosen to construct the outer frame so that the free end of the leg 3 is provided with an integral hollow bearing H and the free end of the leg 4 is provided with a relatively flat ear-shaped element I2 having an opening'la therethrough (Figs; 2 and 3) in substantial alignmentwiththe bore of the hollow bearing II. The portions H and I2 are held together-in hinged relation in each end of the frame! byhollow rivets l4 and M. Eachof therivets l4 and I4 presents an opening H5 at its inner end for receiving an attaching portion ofrespective cooperating pins at opposite ends ofthe purse frame 2, as will be described.

Asa means for hingedly securing the purse frame Ito the outer frame I, I have assembled solid pin members i6 and I! with respective op-' posite ends l8 and 19' of the frame 2. As the removable feature of my improved bag frame structure is more efiiciently carried out if. the a pin members. I 6 and I1 have slightly different relative dimensions, I prefer to describe them in that manner although it is possible that successful engagement and'disengagement of the Purse frame with the outer frame could be effected' if the pin members at opposite ends of the purse frame were constructed with identical dimensions. i The pin member l6 (Fig; 2) is preferably of solid construction and comprises a body portion ZD-anda shank portion 2| of reduced diameter projecting beyond one end of the body portion 20. so. as to form a shoulder 22; An attaching portion 23, having'a smaller diameter than the body. portion, projects beyond the other end of thebody portion from the shank 2i forming a shoulder 24." The pin member I6 is assembled with the legs 5 and 6 at the end IB of the frame 2. through inserting the shank portion 2 I. through the hollow rivet 8 and heading the shank por. tion over as at 25. on an opposite side of the ear-shapedelements 1 and 'lfrom the shoulder 22. The pin member ll has a body portion 26 and a shank portion 21 of smaller diameter than thepbodyportion and extendingv beyond one end ofthe body. portion forming a shoulder 28. An attaching portion 29, which is preferably relatively longer than the attaching portion 23 of the pin member It, extends beyond the other end of the body portion 26 from the shank portion 21. The attaching portion 29 has a smaller diameter than the body portion 26 forming a shoulder 30. The pin member I! is assembled with the legs 5 and 6 at the end IQ of the frame any substantial springing of either one of the frames, a coil spring 32 is assembled with the pin member I! and disposed around the body portion 26 and at least a portion of the attaching portion 29 thereof. The coil spring 32 is maintained in assembly with the pin member I! through means of a relatively straight free end portion 33 which is sprung over a side wall ll] of one of the frame members of the purse frame so as to be disposed within the channel of the respective frame member in engagement with one of the walls thereof, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Thus the coil spring is quickly and easily assem bled with the pin member I! so as to carry out the function of the same, as will 'be described. It will be noticed that the coil spring extends substantially to the outermost free end of the attaching portion 29 whereby the spring may be compressed upon entrance of the attaching portion 29 into the rivet H of the outer frame.

Assembly of the purse frame 2 with the outer frame I is a relatively simple matter and may be accomplished without the necessity for bending either one of the frames sufficiently to destroy the shape of the same. In carrying out this action, the outermost free end of the attaching portion 29 of the pin member I! is inserted into the hollow rivet M at one end of the outer frame member. Then pressure is exerted upon the purse frame 2 forcing the attaching portion 29 into the hollow rivet l4 a suiiicient distance to enable the attaching portion 23 of the pin member 26 to seat itself within the hollow rivet I4 at the other end of the outer frame I. As the attaching portion 29 is forced into the rivet M, the coil spring 32 is compressed and after the attaching portion 23 of the pin [6 has been moved into the respective hollow rivet M, the coil spring expands to move the shoulder 24 of the pin member l6 against the inner end of the rivet M (Fig. 2) whereby the purse frame will be hingedly engaged with the outer frame. As a result of the fact that the distance between the shoulder 39 of the Pin member I! and the outermost free end of the attaching portion 29 is greater than the distance between the shoulder and the outermost free end of the attaching portion 23 of the pin member IS, a portion at the free end of the attaching portion 29 remains within its respective hollow rivet l4 so as to prevent disengagement of the purse frame from the outer frame except by reversal of the action hereinabove described.

Thus by my invention I have provided a simple and inexpensive method for springing a purse frame into engagement with an outer frame. Furthermore, by my improved method the frame members are subjected to no more than a minimum amount of strain during assembly one with another.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A frame for a handbag or the like container comprising an outer frame and a removable inner frame, each of said frames comprising a pair of frame members having sets of adjacent leg portions hinged together at their ends, each of the frame members of one pair being channelshaped, the ends of a set of leg portions of said last-mentioned pair having a pin member projecting therefrom, said pin member having an attaching portion at its end away from said ends for entrance into a hollow member of the other frame, a coil spring assembled with said pin member and disposed around said attaching portion. said spring having a free end portion disposed within the channel of one of said channel-shaped frame members whereby said spring is maintained in assembly with said pin member, and said other pair of frame members having a hollow member adapted to receive the attaching portion of said pin member while compressing said spring whereby said inner frame may be secured to said outer frame by movement of one part of one frame relative to a part of the other frame.

2. A two-part bag frame comprising an outer frame and a removable purse frame, said outer frame comprising a pair of frame members having a set of leg portions at each end, the ends of each set of leg portions being hinged together by a hollow rivet, said purse frame comprising a pair of frame members having a set of leg portions at each end, each set of leg portions being hinged together at their free ends and a pin member assembled with the free ends of each of said sets, each of said pin members having a body portion disposed on o'fie side of the ends of each of said respective sets of said leg portions of said purse frame, a shank portion of smaller diameter than said body portion extending through said last-mentioned ends and headed over on the other side of said ends from said body portion and an attaching portion at the other end of said body portion from said shank of smaller diameter than said body portion, said attaching portions defining spaced shoulders on said body portions of said pin members whose normal spacing is less than the distance between the hollow rivets of the outer frame, a coil spring assembled with one of said pin members and having a portion disposed around said attaching portion, one of said hollow rivets of the outer frame being adapted to receive the attaching portion of said pin member having said spring while compressing said spring whereby said purse frame may be secured to said outer frame by movement of the purse frame relative to the outer frame without springing either of the frames.

. CLYDE D. BUCKLEY. 

